Are Doctors Insecure/Obedient?

[skiracer123]

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From the Journal of Medical Education:

Studies over the past decade have repeatedly shown that doctors function poorly by certain indices of mental health.... The 'disease of being a doctor' takes root in a group which is as a whole excessively obedient, quite dependent, and given to passivity and feelings of self-doubt. Poor self-image and a sense of inferiority are common.


Reading this quote, this board and interacting with doctors has started me thinking. Are many doctors insecure and self doubting?

Has anyone else thought about this?

 

[thackl]

This is interesting.

Back when I was an undergrad (95-96) I dated a UTSA med student (love of my life) and the first thing I remember thinking was "most of these people are here for the wrong reasons". Unfortunately this included my GF to some extent. They were a lot of students who were obviously very insecure and looking for validation/ a reason to look down on the rest of the world.

The snobbiness and self-righteousness was a front for severe insecurities for many of the students I met and got to know. It was really sad to see them not confront/deal with the issues and instead go into a noble and highly respected profession to hide it. This really turned me off to medicine until my brother got into it.

My $0.02. Sorry if I have offended anyone.

 

[omarsaleh66]

i think i am entering medical school because I am insecure and no girl would want me unless i was a doctor.

and unfortunately, i think that when i do become a doctor, i will think of myself as God's gift to this world.


later

Omar

 

[dumbest premed]

I want to become a doctor because I suffer from a problem. A serious problem that is no laughing matter. Premature ejaculation.

In medical school, I will learn how to overcome this problem. Biologically, psychologically, and socially. The knowledge that I build in medical school will give me the tools I need to stop letting that cat out of the bag too early.

 

[thackl]

Well, the country bumkins out there at tech love med students 😀

Too bad I'm not single 😉

 

[MedicationWorks]

excessively obedient

HAHAHAHA! I got a kick out of that one. Insecure seeking validation, yes maybe. "excessively obedient"? No.

 

[Persistence101]

Originally posted by thackl
This is interesting.

Back when I was an undergrad (95-96) I dated a UTSA med student (love of my life) and the first thing I remember thinking was "most of these people are here for the wrong reasons". Unfortunately this included my GF to some extent. They were a lot of students who were obviously very insecure and looking for validation/ a reason to look down on the rest of the world.

The snobbiness and self-righteousness was a front for severe insecurities for many of the students I met and got to know. It was really sad to see them not confront/deal with the issues and instead go into a noble and highly respected profession to hide it. This really turned me off to medicine until my brother got into it.

My $0.02. Sorry if I have offended anyone.

In your opinion, what insecurities did you think they were trying to hide?

 

[AverageMan]

My thought, it's the whole application process which leads to the insecurity of some physicians. Most applicants will receive several rejections over the course of applying to med schools (Remember what it was like to be dumped by your first girlfriend? Now you're basically having your hopes and dreams shattered maybe 5-10-15 times). Even once a school accepts you, it hard to still be secure, since you've already been burned so many times, thus you have your med school class all trying to prove themselves. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I know it's getting to me already, and I haven't even gotten any secondaries yet 😛

 

[adude]

Originally posted by AverageMan
My thought, it's the whole application process which leads to the insecurity of some physicians. Most applicants will receive several rejections over the course of applying to med schools (Remember what it was like to be dumped by your first girlfriend? Now you're basically having your hopes and dreams shattered maybe 5-10-15 times). Even once a school accepts you, it hard to still be secure, since you've already been burned so many times, thus you have your med school class all trying to prove themselves. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I know it's getting to me already, and I haven't even gotten any secondaries yet 😛

By the second week of med school you will have long forgotten the application process.

 

[heelpain]

Originally posted by adude
By the second week of med school you will have long forgotten the application process.

Yes, this is true. You will have other problems/challenges to deal with.

 

[vladtaltos]

Insecure? hell yes.

 

[jenni4476]

At least admitting you're insecure is a step in the right direction... I know way too many people (including several premeds) that are SO insecure they can't even admit it. I don't know if they're just too fragile or what that they can't handle the thought of it

(or if they just have problems with premature ejaculation, or maybe some size issues??? )

 

[bubbajones]

DOCS ARE INSECURE? IM A PREMED IM INSECURE ABOUT MY GRADES LOL

 

[skiracer123]

Seriously, does anyone have any input on this topic? How about these quotes:

Knowing that one is a physician allows people with a very shaky self-esteem to find a niche... it becomes a crutch to their self-esteem.... Being needed by their patients may reinforce a sense of grandiosity, but it is [an extremely fragile mechanism,] a process which has to be endlessly repeated,and being so dependent on one's patients to maintain a sense of self may generate feelings of anger and resentment towards them.

Johnson, WDK British Journal of Medical Psychology 64(1991):317-329.


The factors that motivate us to become doctors are often those which later lead to a kind of stoical and compulsive unhappiness. The inordinate need for prestige and power and the poorly controlled aggressive and hostile drives lead inevitably to professional and emotional disaster.

Zigmond, D. "Physician Heal Thyself." British Journal of Holistic Healing 1(1984):63-71.

 

[skiracer123]

Also, MedicationWorks, why do you think doctors aren't 'excessively obedient'? There have been many studies relating medical school/residency to boot camp, frat initiation, brainwashing...etc. To get a good evaluation in your clinical (3rd and 4th) years you have to do exactly what you are told, kiss up to your superiors and get yelled at and humiliated. It seems like excessively obedient would be a perfect description of someone who goes through a process like this.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Since this thread has already been posted in the Allopathic forum, I'll close it here per SDN TOS.